Forest Dept to deploy drones to curb elephant poaching

Tuesday, Jul 14, 2015,21:51 ISTBy metrovaartha AAA

Thiruvananthapuram | Concerned over the growing number of elephant poaching cases recently, the Forest Department in Kerala proposed to introduce a mix of aerial surveillance drones, concealed camera traps and high-tech intelligence gathering equipment in the elephant reserves of Wayanad, Nilambur, Anamudi, and Periyar.
Forest Minister Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan, in reply to a submission, told the State Assembly that as many as 15 people had been taken into custody and a large quantity of ivory recovered from them during the past five days.
Stating that steps would be taken to set up anti-poaching camp in territorial forest areas, he said concealed camera traps would be introduced in the forest areas.
The Forest Department was also in the process of introducing aerial surveillance drones in the trouble-prone areas.
He said the Department was also in the process of preparing a criminal profile directory including the list of poaches in Kerala and neighbouring states.
He pointed out that as many as 323 cases had been registered in Kerala during the past five years in connection with killing of wild animals.